The past year brought many changes for Baltimore.From the ringing of the bell at the newly opened Lexington Market to plans to renovate Harborplace and new tenants making their way in, the city and its economic leaders’ plans to reinvigorate its core have persisted. And that’s not all.The public-private Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts (BOPA) recently revealed some tech-forward plans for its upcoming New Year’s Eve program.Much like the drone show seen at Artscape this summer, this year’s annual NYE celebration will also feature a drone display. The organization has been considering this since earlier this year.The announcement comes as BOPA asks for additional funds from Baltimore City Council to produce Artscape between Aug. 2 and 4.According to an announcement, Curtis Bay-based Image Engineering is taking charge of the technical aspects of the event. The company previously helped usher in the holiday season with Baltimore’s annual Washington Monument lighting.The show will integrate with the tradition of fireworks at midnight. Baltimore’s Mayor Brandon Scott will lead the countdown.BOPA is thrilled to announce New Year’s Eve festivities at #Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

Outsiders may not know, but Baltimore actually has its own Washington Monument — and it’s older than its counterpart in DC. Its cornerstone was laid in 1815, nearly two centuries before the inception of an annual tradition: the holiday illumination of this relic in Baltimore’s Mt. Vernon neighborhood, which this year takes place on Thursday, Dec. 7. The monument, which passersby can ascend year-round for a fee, is stewarded by the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy (MVPC). Since 2008, MVPC has programmed and maintained both the monument and the park squares surrounding it throughout the year